Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1887-06-07
OXFORD COUNTY HORSE NOTES.
HENRY WARD BEEcuER's ArrREcrArros
Or A GOOD HORSE.

HENRY WARD BEEctIER's APPRECIATION
or A 0ooD HORSE.
We republi.h ,hi. week from the
american CuliiraiOr. . letter from Rev.
Henry Ward Beechsr TO Mr.. Bonnsr.
which shows his appreciation Of a good
horse. and sufficiently explains itself
"MY DIAN Mn. BoSSrR-Yoa once
promised me a ride With your never.,o.
be-excelled horses. and to-day is the very
day for Il. The ky !. clear !, i'
long while since we have bad high.
bright. clear days. They have been sad
and eloady Sometimes sno~. sometimes
rain. sometimes a mi.erAbls eonpromiss
between both. Ba, to-day il Of one
mind. aud iha, a good mind. Nature Is
in her swse, and grand mood. I, Is the
frs, day on which she hs. cared 10 have
It known tha, her mind was msds uP to
have spring weather. The 'ecrs, i' oa,
now. Snow /. melting sas grass
With fresh growth of green ,hi, very nom
ing. No birds ye, Bat the grass saii
bird, as plainly as II !, had .Pok'n Eng
li.h. They enno, be far of
"l. no: ,his day for ride No mud
yet. The road is hard and moist. Just
the kiai for .pia For | DO no, van,
any OF your l,ry. Jos,ing g.is | AN
eaiirely Of your miad ,h,, II a horse has
had .siftne.. pa, in him, II i' fair to give
him a eh.n,e u develop his gifs. OF
oour.e there /, bolnd-resson IN al
,hins.. Even IN ,ro,,ins. IL IL easier and
plea.anier for some horses to 10 twelve
mile. an hour than for Others TO 10 three.
They were made 90 Does IL hurt
.wallos 10 10 swiftsr than an OF Why
not, Brla,s hs WAS made 80. !, u
easy 20 do the thing We we're made TO do
easily. And a good horse Vas made on
purpose TO 20 fast. lie does i,. when
Wild. Of hi, own accord. lie does not
lose the relish Of speed even when done'.
,iea.ed.
take a fine.fed horse. who, ia har'
ness. look, as IL he were pattern OF
moderation. a very deacon OF 'oorie,y,
and turn him loose In pasture. Whsw.
what a change. lie takes one OF two
step, slowly. ia,i TO be sure that you have
ls, 20 Of him. aud then with 'qaeal he
l., ay hi. heel. high in the air. I'LL the
sun hl.he. from hi, polished shoes, and
then. of he goes. faster aud hereer. clear
aero. the lo,. ill the fence bring' him
up. And then. his eye alshing. his
name lifted and swelling. his tail up like |
king. .cepue. he snOrt' d'hlhes to yoa'
from Afsr. and with series of rearing''
runnins .idewi.e. pawings and Plangins.,
iri.king, and whirls, he starts again. with
immense enjoyment, into another round
Of running. DO you not see iha, u u
more than fan , Isis ec,,aey. lis horse
rapture /
''l never see such q spectacle that |
am no, palnfally impressed With the ia
humanity Of no, letting horses run. Fast
ne.. virtue. Our mistaken modera.
,ion /, dspriyins him Of il. | drive fa',
on principle. | do !, for the sake Of be-
ing a. one With nature. To drive slow.
only and always. is TO ueA, horse as II
he were an OF. You may be slow II you |
think proper. Ba, your horse should be
kep, up 10 nature. lie would have had
bat two lex. II !, W. mean, tha, be
should 20 only on "go-to.meeiins
pace. lie ha, four legs. OF course he
ought 10 DO a great deal with them.
"Nos. Why do say these ,hins' to
you No, TO eonvies you Of your duty.
Bat. | feared lest, taking ne out TO ride.
you would be disposed 10 think ihs,
had .eruple.. and would jos along mod
erA,ely. as II doing me favor. Not At
all. The wind does no, 20 fa', enough
10 sui, me. II | were engineer OF six-
,y.mile.an.hour express train. | should
coyet twenty miles an hour more.
"Is, the horse be we'll groomed. vel!
harne..ed. L., the wagon be thoroughly
looked to, no screw loose, no haw jus,ready
to beusy Us. Mount. am by your
side. The whip Is no. needed. Yet let
|, stand in its place. the graceful hin, OF
authority 10 reserve. which Is always
wholesome to men aud horses.
snow. ge, ou, Of town cautiously. No
speed here. This !. place for 'obrieiy.
moderation and proprie,y. in driving.
But, once having shaken Oft the crowd.
give you look. and disappear Instantly
in q Wild excitement, as II all the trees
were crazy, and bad started Oft ia race.
a. IL the fences were chalk lines. As II
the earth and skies were eommingled,
and everything were wildly mixed in a
supernatural exei,sm,ni, neither o! earth
nor Of the skies
"Tke wind has risen since We started.
I, did no, blow ., thi, rate. surely
These tears are no, OF sorrow. Bat real
ly, this going lik. rceke, Is new to eve
~ sense. DO no, laugh II clutch the
sea, more firmly. lam not afraid IL
il only excitement. You may be used to
,hi. birds bushes, OF flying Bat doa't
draw the rein. lam getting calm. See
,h., play OF muscle Splendid machinery
was pu, into these horses. Twenty-hors
power. at least. in each And ho~ they
enjoy IL! No forcing here. They do !,
TO please themselves. and thank you for
chance Look a, that head Those ears
speak like . tongue The eyes flash with
esgsrness aud will Is il three miles
Impossible. II Is not more than half a
mile
"well. draw up. Let me get of now.
and see these brave creatures. What !
No, enough ye,' No painful paihng. no
,hrobbing Of the isnks They step ner-
vou.ly. and champ the bit, and lean to
you eare.s. {. II they said. AN this we
have done 10 please you. now just let us
10 on to please ourselves '"